Ikari Gets Basket
by Fifty Points of the Mind
Summary: The title is selfexplanatory. What's in the basket, you have to read for yourselves...
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1 Why am I Pathetic?  
  
Tired. That was the only thing that passed through my mind as my hand reached up the faded brass doorknob. I put the dull silver key in and turned it clockwise a quarter of the way, listened for a click, and went inside.  
  
The eerie glow of my television set was the only welcome I received from my depressing one-room flat. I reached to my side and fumbled with the light switches as I had done hundreds of times before, and sure enough the soft hum of the fluorescent lights mingled with the muffled sounds coming from the traffic outside.  
  
I sighed as I threw my cello case on a dilapidated orange couch, the springs emitting a labored groan as the ancient metal coils adjusted to the sudden weight. I walked over to the small kitchen, scratching the back of my head at the sight of empty pizza boxes and a sink-full of dirty dishes. "What a mess..." I muttered, angry with myself for making this place a pigsty.  
  
I reached the stainless steel refrigerator, opened the door and felt a blast of cold air on my face. I stared sadly at the almost empty food stock. 'Guess I'll have to go grocery shopping.' I thought, reaching for an open carton of milk. Pulling the flap down, I drank the liquid, noting that it was starting to go sour.  
  
"Shinji Ikari, what happened to you?" I thought, looking at my reflection on the steel surface of the icebox. A sad looking young man stared back at me. From the unbuttoned collar, to the faded blue slacks, and the lusterless leather shoes, the picture wasn't all that bad. But I looked into my reflection, into my eyes.  
  
Behind the messy tangled bangs of hair and the rose-tinted glasses, questioning blue eyes stared back at me. I had always wondered how I got these piercing navy eyes. It was very rare for a Nippon to have such a color, and I liked that about myself. But looking into that face of the refrigerator, I looked old. Not old as in wrinkled and gray, but just... tired.  
  
At twenty-one, I had reached the all-time low of my life. All I see now is a man who lost his purpose. The world didn't need me anymore, and everyday was just an exercise in futility. Was it really that long ago when I was battling the Angels? What happened to the avenging hero that people talk about, the savior of humanity that defied heaven and hell alike? I took one last look at myself and shook my head. It doesn't matter now, I thought sadly.  
  
It seemed as if the last six years of my life was just a dream, that if I closed my eyes for a minute, I would wake up with Asuka screaming in my ear, with Misato's morning alcohol yell, and Pen-Pen pecking at my feet for his breakfast. I blinked, but I knew that nothing was going to happen.  
  
Asuka finally became the war-honored hero she always bragged that she would become. I see her sometimes on T.V. It might be when she gets a new medal, when she goes on those talk shows that only the rich and glamorous attend, and she starred in her own documentary for some big-shot Hollywood studio. I hear that she was so good at acting, they were thinking of putting her in her own feature film.  
  
I could still hear her voice when she received her first letter. She was almost floating that day. It was for a banquet in her honor by the German government. I was happy for her, but that was such a long time ago. I'm lucky to even get a postcard through Misato now that she was such a public figure.  
  
Misato rose in ranks to become commander of NERV following Third Impact. After all the blood, sweat and tears of our former work, it was only by her permission that I finally broke free from EVA's damned grasp. I remember all the paperwork, the assurances and tests that we had to do. Transfers, replacements, all the information that I had learned from my stay at NERV, they had to keep it all safe. By the time I had finally gotten my dead-end job as a cellist at a local pub, I had lost everything short of my soul in signatures and promises.  
  
I would see Misato every now and then, visiting the place where I play. Even six years of spirit-crushing work, she till maintained her beautiful figure. She stays until the last customer leaves, and goes up to the stage to talk to me. Mostly just idle talk, about Asuka's fortune, sometimes about the good old days. Whenever I strayed too much into the subject of work, she winked and gave me her disarming smile. "You know if I tell you, I'll have to drag you back down that road with me." she said jokingly, but a hint of grave seriousness always underlay her jibes.  
  
Sometimes we would talk about Pen-Pen. Ah, Pen-Pen. After I got released from NERV, Misato insisted that I take the warm water penguin as a gift and that he would "keep me out of trouble". He died a year ago. I just came home after another burnout day, and he was sitting upright on the couch, one hand on the remote, one hand on a beer can. He looked like he was sleeping, but when I tried to wake him up, I realized it was to late.  
  
I always admired the little bird. He lived the way he wanted, and he died the way he lived. He's buried in Kaji's melon patch, side-by-side to my only reminder of my other life role model. I kept my promise to the Kaji. Every afternoon, I would visit the little patch of earth, watered the plants and went home. I wonder whatever happened to him, but decided all I could do was care for his plants and see if I could keep them as healthy as he did.  
  
So I find myself here again, living life after the thrill was gone, alone and miserable. I sat myself down in front of the television set, reached over to grab my phone, pushed the speed-dial and ordered my tri- weekly pizza. I zoned out as I watched the news. I saw Asuka again, and her movie's premiere was tonight, and more about uncovered documents of SEELE.  
  
I sat there, taking in all this useless junk when the doorbell rang. Thinking it was the pizza-man, I rose from my chair wearily. Unlocking the door, I was surprised to see a basket on my welcome mat. "What the..." I began, reaching down. A yellow sticky note was attached to the cloth on covering the basket.  
  
*SURPRISE, IKARI-KUN.*  
  
The note was written clearly and concise, as if a gentle hand had created the beautiful characters. I was about to mull over who had sent me this basket, when all of a sudden the cloth began to stir. "Huh..." I gasped. As if reacting to my words, the basket moved again. However, this time, a corner of the fabric came loose, and a pair of tiny claret eyes stared at me. "Oh my god..." I whispered.  
  
I pulled back the sheets of the wicker basket. Slowly and carefully, I lifted the contents to my face. Pale blue tresses matted the head of the little child, and she stared blinking back at my astonished face. Her soft fair skin clashed against my lightly tanned arms. "Oh my god..." I repeated.  
  
The infant was attired in a sky blue baby dress, and she rested her head on my chest. I panicked, but somehow I felt...warm. I held her close to me, and slowly cradled her. Her small mouth let out a cute yawn, and she fell asleep in my arms. I looked at the note on the basket again, my initial shock returning. Only one word came to my mind as to how this baby girl came to me.  
  
"Rei..."  
  
Notes: Why do I bother, Please give me a reason... -FPotM 


	2. How do You Catch a Falling Angel?

Disclaimer: No, I don't own NGE.  
  
To my reviewers: Thanks.  
  
Chapter 2 How do you catch a falling angel?  
  
My name is Shinji Ikari.  
  
Ten minutes ago, I was a twenty-one year old nobody with a dead-end job living by himself in a lonely one-room apartment.  
  
Now I'm a twenty-one year old nobody with a dead-end job with a very young infant in my arms in a lonely one-room apartment.  
  
My mind started to work again as she settled into my chest. Even though I had never seen any pictures of Ayanami as a child, the resemblance was striking. The shade of azure her hair possessed, her deep red eyes, it all mirrored Ayanami's own countenance. She even exuded a presence of complete calm just like the pilot of Unit 00.  
  
'Alright, Shinji, settle down.' I thought, taking a deep breath. 'You're holding a miniature replica of a girl that was supposed to be dead for seven years, and the only clue you have as to why she's here is a note that's just screaming of Rei. Think!'  
  
Suddenly, a small noise snapped me out of my reverie. A soft cry took my attention away from my musings, and I looked down towards the child. "Uh oh..." I said nervously. The little girl fidgeted slightly in my arms, her voice piercing my heart.  
  
"Aw, don't cry, baby... Don't cry..." I said franticly. I rocked her a little bit more, but she only cried harder. "Uh, come on, don't cry..." I said dismayed at the predicament I was in. 'Come on, Ikari. You've been in tighter squeezes than this.' my brain rationalized. I remembered from one of the few helpful classes I attended in high school. I checked her if she was wet, but found that she was dry as a bone. Even if she did need a diaper change, it wasn't as if I had any handy.  
  
"Ok. Let's see, babies cry when they're hungry." I thought out loud, opting for another explanation to her tears.  
  
"Are you hungry?"  
  
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"  
  
'Duh, she can't talk, genius...' the voice in my head chided.  
  
"Ok, babies like milk." I thought. Running towards the fridge with the little girl still crying in my arms, I reached for the milk box. "Argh! I forgot, it's empty." I yelled, throwing the empty carton over my shoulder. This only seemed to distress the infant more, and she started to cry louder.  
  
"Right, that didn't work." I thought glumly.  
  
I was starting to lose it when I someone turned on a light bulb in my dim head. Alternating the baby in one hand as I hastily put on my coat, I went outside and hailed a cab.  
  
Half an hour later:  
  
"Your lucky today's Sunday, Shinji." Hikari sighed as she packed me a bag with baby formula and diapers in her kitchen. "Thanks, Hikari..." I said, cradling the sleeping child again. The former class-rep shook her head and sighed again. "What kind of person can just abandon a baby in front of a total stranger's house?" she said, handing me the bag. "My question exactly." I replied, still unnerved by the child's resemblance to Ayanami.  
  
"In any case, I found this on her hand..." Hikari said, handing me a small bracelet. "I recognized it from my hospital. You should check there to see if they can tell you who her parents are." Hikari said, pointing to a small insignia on the bracelet.  
  
For those of you who wanted to know, Hikari's studying to be a doctor at the Tokyo 3 Metro-Hospital. After graduating head of her class in high school, she decided to become a pediatrician and got a scholarship with, of all the places, NERV. With Misato at the helm, the establishment, though still secretive and shady, decided to enhance it's public image. Lucky for me, Hikari was just as hard working as she was in junior high, and kept supplies to study baby formulas and other baby products she was studying.  
"Hi, my name is Yui. I'm a girl!" it read, the plastic trinket shining a dull pink.  
  
"Yui..." I whispered. I looked down at the bundle in my arms.  
  
"Yui..."  
  
Notes: Yeah. Here you go. Damn, I'm so depressed... 


	3. Kentucky woman shines her own kind of li...

Chapter 3 Kentucky woman shines her own kind of light...  
  
Notes: The title is kind of strange.  
  
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.  
  
So with that, do you think God is corrupt?  
  
No.  
  
Really?  
  
Yes.  
  
Why not?  
  
Because we're here.  
  
What do you mean?  
  
I... don't really know.  
  
Don't give me that faith bull. You always had a reason for everything.  
  
But I do believe in him.  
  
I don' care about that. Answer my question.  
  
Because I was created...  
  
But if he did exist, you'd probably be the most damned creature on earth.  
  
I know that He exists...  
  
You're reasoning is illogical, first child.  
  
He loves me.  
  
How can you think that a real "God" would allow a monstrosity like you walk to this earth, much less love you?  
  
Because...  
  
Give me a straight answer, first child.  
  
Because only a true God, only a benevolent creator, would allow me to live...  
  
Author's notes: I like this chapter. It's so short, but it conveys a lot. It starts of with a quote, though I can't remember where I heard it from, and it turns into a conversation about Rei's faith. There's a kind of beauty in this little dialogue, from the answers the first gives and the persistent questioning the second voice deals in. Also, the speaking parts are very flexible, and this piece could have happened at any time in the series, and not just limited to Ikari Gets Basket. The speaker could be Gendo, the Gendo that people perceive as a manipulator, the one that either has lost his own faith in God or the curious Gendo that wants to learn about the condition of humanity in general. It could be Kowaru, a Kowaru that is about to die that seeks out a few more answers before he faces his destruction, his doom, his friend. It could be a Kowaru that has died, the Kowaru in heaven, or another ethereal plane, questioning why Ayanami still clings to the belief in God, a Tabris that may or may not know the outcome of the Final Impact. It could be Akagi, watching with hate-filled eyes at a creature she both helped create and longs to destroy. It could be Asuka, wondering what a strange being this Ayanami is, when she herself should be nothing more than a broken human being, a doll if you will. It might be another aspect of Rei's personality, one that seeks out why she continues to exist when she will only bring about the end of everything. It may be Major Katsuragi, asking why an angel, the very thing that she has vowed to defend the world against, is fighting alongside them. It could be Shinji. Shinji, the one who runs away from everything, wanting to know why this first child is so ready to give up everything for a lost cause, a risk not worth taking. In any case, I grow tired of all this speculation. I'm sorry if I took too much of this chapter for my opinions, or if you disagree with any of my views, but I just wanted to give a reason to why I write.  
  
I hope that by reading this, you have found a reason to continue forward.  
  
I still have to look for mine...  
  
-FPotM 


	4. Instead of making love, we both made a s...

Chapter 4 Instead of making love, we both made a set of wings....  
  
Notes: Does the title apply to anything at all...  
  
Yui started to shift in my arm as we entered a tunnel. "Shhh, it's alright. I'm here..." I cooed rocking her again. She looked at me with her crimson eyes before yawning once again and settling into my embrace. "That's my girl..." I whispered to her, smiling to myself.  
  
I really shouldn't have said that, the little 'my girl' part, but the only thing that truly occupied my mind was how could anyone leave such a helpless and dependant child on a doorstep. I always thought that there were messed up things in the world, but I never knew that they could affect people as much as it had me.  
  
Well, it really didn't matter what I thought about it then, because like it or not, I was stuck with her.  
  
Flashback: * * * *  
  
-"What do you mean she's my child?!?" I asked incredulously to the annoyed looking nurse in front of me, still holding Yui to my chest. "Yes sir. You are the legal father of Yui Ikari. I don't suppose you'd like to take a paternal test to prove it, do you?" the nurse sighed, playing with her pen as she talked to me.-  
  
*  
  
-"Does there seem to be a problem here." a familiar voice came from behind me. "Mi-Misato?!?" I exclaimed, surprised at her sudden appearance. "Hey Shinji..." she said, winking. After that I knew something bigger than me was going on again...-  
  
*  
  
-"Shinji, she's yours." Misato said to me in the empty hospital corridor. Only the light tapping of a doctor's shoes was heard every now and then as I looked at Yui again, my confusion and anxiousness mounting. "I don't understand this at all Misato." I said, my voice strained.-  
  
*  
  
-"I'm sorry Shinji, but as of now, you are this child's legal guardian. Your duties towards this child are as follow-"-  
  
*  
  
-"Damn it, Misao! I will not be dragged back into this, this NERV business anymore. Now you're telling me I have to care for a child that I've barely known for a day? You know what Misato-SAN, go screw yourself."-  
  
*  
  
-"Ikari Shinji. By order of the Japanese Government, you are hereby charged with the well-being and care of one Ikari Yui." Misato said with finality, turning and leaving me with the child in my arms.-  
  
* * * End Flashback  
  
I could only remember bits and pieces of my conversation with Misato, but it all struck me as the message replayed in my mind. 'You are hereby charged with the well-being and care of one Ikari Yui.'. I thought about my mom then, and began to think how hard raising this child by myself would be. "Why did this happen to us..." I whispered to Yui, humming a lullaby into the darkness of the tunnel.  
  
FIN  
  
Author's notes: Another short chapter. I'm really disappointed with this one. I just forced this out for the sake of an update, but other than that, it conveys whatever thought I had at the time. Basically, Shinji went to the hospital, found out that under the father's name, his picture was put for Yui. Also, for some reason, Misato is ordering Shinji to take care of Yui against (or maybe to the subconscious happiness)the wishes of Ikari Shinji. I really hated the way Shinji was treated by his father, even if it was required for the Third Impact, and I wanted to see what Shinji would do if he ever had a child himself. Of course, since I am neither the creator of NGE nor Shinji Ikari himself, I'll never really have a better view than my own skewered version of what how Shinji would react in this kind of situation. In any case, this chapter is missing on very many details and is in need of major plot hole reconstruction. If I ever get around it, I will patch it up or expand on what happened here, either in further updates or a complete overhaul in this chapter.  
  
To all who reviewed, you have my thanks.  
  
We'll see where this story will end up...  
  
-FPotM 


	5. Symphony number Four, The Romantic

Chapter 5

_Symphony number four, the romantic._  
  
Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, crying. I don't know where the tears come from, but they're there, and there's nothing I can do about them. So I stay there on my bed, my legs curled up on my chest, crying like a child whose scraped his knee.  
  
I wonder if my father had ever loved me. No, I don't wonder. I know my father loved me. At least for a while. Then he just changed. He turned into the Commander. And I knew from then on, the very sight of me repulsed him. Was it because I was weak? Was it because I was the only one who could pilot that... that machine of his? I can't remember anymore. Maybe he did love me, so many years ago, even when I did suffer for him. When I cried myself to sleep. Maybe he silently wept himself when I fought those angels. Maybe time just warped my view of my father. Or maybe this is all just wishful thinking.  
  
I wonder if he didn't hate me at all. He might have not cared. He just saw me as a pilot, someone to give orders to, someone to pay, someone to forget after the day is done. I could believe that. But that would have been so cruel of him. I would have rather him hate me than forget.  
  
Maybe that's why I love you so much. Maybe that's why I need you to fill the void that my father left. Yui. You're the only thing that makes me happy. Please don't hate me for using you. I only want you to be happy. My mother wanted me to be happy. Is this how she felt when she...  
  
Father, why have you forsaken me...  
  
---------------  
  
"Papa, look, papa!"  
  
The little girl's eyes grew wide as the giant creature floated in front of her. The violet behemoth only stared back, it's eyes unblinking as it lay silent in the LCL prison. "Yeah, it's something, isn't it, Yui." Shinji said, sighing as he gazed on at the unwelcome yet familiar sight. "Isn't it cool, huh, Papa?" Yui said excitedly, her tiny hands pressing against the glass. "Cool? Well, not the first thing I'd say, but it is pretty amazing." Shinji replied, kneeling down to the level of his daughter. "Uncle Ken said that they can fly and stretch and shoot lasers and do all kinds of neat things." Yui said, looking at her father with dancing eyes. "Yes, and you've been hanging around Uncle Ken for too long, Yui" Shinji smiled, rubbing his four-year old daughter's head affectionately.  
  
"That and we have to find out how 'Uncle Ken' keeps on finding out about these things."  
  
Shinji felt his heart skip a beat or two as he heard the familiar voice. Yui, however, turned and excitedly greeted the newcomer. "Auntie Mi- chan!" she cried, running towards the commander's outstretched arms. "Hey, kiddo. Thought I told you to stop calling me that. It makes your beautiful, talented, YOUNG aunt seem old." Misato laughed as she hugged the little girl. "Good afternoon, Commander." Shinji said curtly, not taking his eyes off of his daughter. Misato nodded directed Yui back to her father. "And a good afternoon to you also, Shinji-kun." Misato replied, her face smiling but her eyes weary.  
  
"I trust your trip here was pleasant enough?" Misato said, turning to face the Eva cage. "Well, Yui enjoyed it well enough. I was too busy worrying about what this was all about." Shinji said, chuckling a bit. Misato let out a sigh, as the tension in her eyes loosened. "Shinji, I'm sorry about all of this, but when Yui arrived, it just..." Misato let the last sentence drift, knowing that saying more would just endanger the truce between Commander and former-Pilot. "Time heals all things, Misato. I told you that I've forgiven you three years ago. Don't worry about it." Shinji replied, facing Misato with a small grin.  
  
-----------------  
  
Shinji remembered it like it was yesterday. He was celebrating Yui's first birthday and Touji, Kensuke and Hikari where all there. The doorbell rang and Shinji answered it. And there Misato was.  
  
-----------------  
  
"Yes, but I haven't actually called you in for anything for a long time. I was just kind of tense to see how you would handle it." Misato said. "Hey, Yui enjoyed the limo ride." Shinji said, turning back to Eva. Now was the time for him to ask the question burning at the back of his mind since day one.  
  
"So why did you ask me to bring her..."

TBC

Notes:

Uh, yeah. Review a lot if you wanna know what happens next...  
  
FPotM


	6. You Should Be Scared Of Me

Chapter 6

You Should Be Scared Of Me  
  
"Yui, honey, wake up. We're home." Shinji whispered into his daughter's ear. The pre-schooler stirred in his arms, cracking open one teary eye towards Shinji. "Papa..." Yui cried, not liking the interruption of her snooze. "There there, don't give me that look." Shinji said, smiling slightly. "Umm." Yui moaned in protest as Shinji lowered her to the ground. "Just five minutes and we'll get you changed and into bed, okay." Shinji reassured the child, letting her off.  
  
Shinji fumbled with his keys, his eyes also tired from the long drive home. "Misato and her stupid schedules. Good thing it's a Saturday, or else Yui and I would both have to be absent tomorrow." Shinji thought as the old metal teeth finally clicked and the door gave way for the small Ikari family. Shinji flipped on the lights, and the apartment flooded with blinding white light. At least, for Shinji's weary eyes.  
  
To Yui, however, it was like a match to gasoline soaked tinder. Whatever sleep-related thoughts she had in her head were wiped away with the light. "Papa, can I watch T.V.?" Yui said, eyes twinkling. "But, sweetie, it's..." Shinji began. "Okay, thanks, you're the best daddy in the world." Yui squealed in delight and plopped herself in front of the screen. "Yui..." Shinji began, his voice stretched.  
  
Yui recognized the tone and switched her tactics. "Come on, Papa, please? I'm not sleepy yet, honest." she said, her eyes doe-like and her head leaning to the side. "Hmm, okaaay." Shinji sighed, giving in and reaching for the remote. "My dad would probably kill me for spoiling you so much, Yui." Shinji joked as he sat beside Yui on the soft orange couch and turned on the T.V.. "You make gramps sound like he was a meanie, Papa." Yui giggled, looking up to her father. "Meanie is too soft a word for him, Yui." Shinji replied, wondering how his own father could live with himself for what he did to his child. Now that Shinji himself was a parent, he was aghast at the dangers his dad put him through, more aware now that he had his own daughter to think about.  
  
"Really? How come you didn't like your dad, Papa?" Yui said, her curious red eyes searching Shinji's blue. "Let's just say I'm glad you take after the women of our family than the men, okay Yui." Shinji answered, rubbing his daughter's hair. "Like that woman, Papa." Yui said innocently, pointing at the television screen."  
  
"Totally Uncensored!!!"  
  
"100% wild!"  
  
"Girls! Girls! Girls!"  
  
"Without the little black bars!"  
  
"Woohoo!!!"  
  
Shinji's eyes nearly burst out of his head when he saw the commercial. He knew it was late, but he didn't know it was that late! "Y- Yui, close your eyes! This isn't something good little girls see or do!!!" Shinji said, his hand struggling with the remote, as it seemed to fly out of his hand. "Okay Papa." Yui said trustingly, putting her hands over her eyes. Shinji had to go through a lot of questions that night.  
  
-----------------------  
  
"And then she asked me what a threesome meant..."  
  
Shinji Ikari and the other two stooges were sharing a drink at Kensuke's house, going over what was happening in their friend's lives. "Man, I feel for you Shinj. But hey, did you remember the number?" Touji Suzuhara joked, laying down on the recliner. "I'm telling you, Touj, if you and Hikari ever decide to get kids, figure out how to set the V-chip. That or be prepared with a sex-ed crash course." Shinji muttered his hand on the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, Touj. You have to be all sensitive and goody when it comes to kids..." Kensuke added, taking his eyes off the baseball game and turning to Shinji. "... But seriously, Shin-man. You wrote down the number, didn't you?" Kensuke said, making Touji almost squirt beer out of his nose.  
  
"Ha, score Kensuke!" Touji laughed, his hand on his aching throat. "And you wonder why Asuka used to call us stooges." Shinji said good- naturedly, rolling his eyes at his friends. Sure, they looked more mature, but the onslaught of time failed to make a dent in the idiocy of the three musketeers. "Speak of the devil, the redheaded brat's coming over this week." Touji said, half-mocking and half-serious.  
  
"Hell no. You're not yanking my chain, are you Touj? Don't tell me little-miss-Hollywood's coming back to the land of the rising sun." Kensuke said, his glasses glinting in the light. "I ain't yanking nothin' of yours, Ken. For real, man. Hikari just told me yesterday. She says it had something to do with writing a biography or something like that." Touji replied, taking a swig from his Yebisu. "Ask Shinj. He probably knows about it more than me." Touji added, putting his glass down and focusing on the game.  
  
Shinji leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. "Well, Misato did say something about Asuka getting a book deal from her last letter." Shinji said, recalling a passing reference Misato made a couple of days ago. "See. That proves it. If Misato says so, it means it's true." Touji said, crossing his arms in defiance of Kensuke, daring the military otaku to contest the statement. "Seeing as it did come out of Misato-san's gorgeous lips, I'll have to take your word on this one." Kensuke said thoughtfully.  
  
"Wow, Asuka's coming back. I wonder how that'll turn out." Shinji said, popping the tab of another beer.  
  
-----------------------  
  
"Yes mother, I'll get right on it.  
  
No, of course not.  
  
Look, if I have five college degrees and can pilot a hundred-story robot, then writing a book is cake. Of course I'm going back to showbiz after this.  
  
I'm just showing them that I have a brain not just some other eye-candy bimbo pumped full of silicone.  
  
Alright, fine.  
  
I'll call you later mother.  
  
Yes, I love you too."  
  
"That woman is damn insatiable!" Asuka Souryu Langley hissed as she snapped her cell-phone shut. "If I hear one more word about not taking a bloody contract, I am so gonna' freakin' put that nasty woman in a home!" Asuka fumed. Sure, her stepmother was entitled to a little bit of Asuka's newfound fame, but this was just a little much.  
  
"WE ARE NOW ARRIVING AT TOKYO-3 INTERNATIONAL. PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELLULAR PHONES AND LAPTOPS AND RETURN YOUR SEATS TO THE FULL UPRIGHT POSITION. OUR ETA IS IN 17 MINUTES..."  
  
Asuka sighed and turned off her phone. Out of the first-class window seat, she watched as the clouds broke and the skyline of Tokyo-3 appeared, it's massive skyscrapers emerging from the ground like giants of metal and glass. "Well, Tokyo-3, your number one hero is finally back..." she whispered, smiling slightly at the sight below.  
  
-----------------------  
  
"Come on Yui, take a bite. I promise it isn't as bad as it smells." Shinji pleaded with his stubborn daughter, his hand trying to keep steady a spoonful of strained carrots. "No! It's icky!" Yui pouted, crossing her arms. "C'mon, you're letting your brain jump to conclusions. It's sweet, really, honey." Shinji said, his eyebrow twitching. "But it's funny looking!" Yui whined on her high chair. "No buts lady, now open wide." Shinji said, his tone getting angrier. In his head he already formulated a scenario.  
  
"But Papa-waugh!!!"  
  
"Aha. See, it isn't so bad." Shinji said, grinning triumphantly. He knew his daughter wasn't going to give in willingly and was just going to keep on complaining, so he just waited for her to open her mouth herself. Yep, Ikari Shinji, you are a genius.  
  
"Eh...eh...AAUUAACKKK!"  
  
"SPLORP!!!"  
  
"Ah!!! My shirt!"  
  
Ok, maybe Shinji's plan wasn't so foolproof.  
  
"Oops. Sorry Papa." Yui said, still looking a little green, but not forgetting to apologize to her father. "It's okay, Yui. Maybe next time." Shinji sighed, getting up to wipe the orange gunk of his chest. Of course, being the good, albeit stubborn, little girl Yui was, she hated seeing her father sad, so she braced herself and took up the small spoon her father held.  
  
When Shinji walked in later, a clean shirt and a determined look on his face. "Ok, Yui. This you will eat your vegetables or else..." Shinji said, raising his finger, but slowly lowering it. "...no desert?" he finished. "All done, Papa." Yui said, a sick look on her face as lay her head on the table. Shinji saw the clean plate and smiled. "That's my girl..." Shinji said and went to the fridge to get her some ice cream. He knew that it took a lot for a four-year old to face down the horrors of the plant world, so the least he could do was reward her efforts.  
  
"Papa, I don't feel so good....eh...eh...AUUACK!!!"  
  
"SPLORP!"  
  
Shinji sighed and closed the fridge door. "Well Yui, it's the though that counts..." Shinji said, getting a rag to clean up his daughter's mess...  
  
TBC  
  
Notes:  
  
Don't worry. After cleaning up the mess, Shinji did give Yui her ice-cream. Just wanted that thought to be voiced, seeing as if you love kids as much as I do, it would break my heart not to give Yui any desert before bedtime, even if she did barf up most of her dinner. Oh well. The story's turning waffy comedy. I really can't tell if that's a god thing or a bad thing, but don't worry. I think I have at least one plotline that'll be all-serious and stuff. As for what Shinji's purpose to bringing Yui to Unit 01 the other day, I'll tell you that later. All that's left is what to do with Asuka. She'e been away from Japan for seven years, and the only correspondence she's had with her half-homeland is with Misato. She doesn't even know Shinji's had a baby. Will she spend her visit at Shinji's apartment? Probably not. She is a multi-millionaire celebrity. But she will get to meet Yui. I wonder how that'll turn out...  
  
As always, review. I'm putting off about three day's work on It's Not Impossible for this, so you better push that little purple button.  
  
Yours truly

FPotM


	7. I should be working

Chapter 7

I Should Be Working

"Let's see. That's Instant Noodles, Instant Soup, Instant Curry, Instant Rice, Instant Pizza..." Misato Katsuragi said as she piled the junk food into her cart. "...and some vegetables." the Commander said, placing a small can of peas in the cart.

"Honestly, Misato, you're the head of a multi-billion dollar international defense agency. Couldn't you have done this with someone else?" Shinji sighed as he pushed Misato's cart, shivering slightly at how Misato could keep her figure so perfect off of garbage like this. "Oh, come on, Shinji. You know I don't like all that health junk that nutritionist buys for me, and the NERV cafeteria always serves donkey crap." Misato whined as she shoveled case after case of Yebisu into the wobbling cart. "Besides, I'm spending some quality time with my most favorite people in the entire world, isn't that right, Yui-chan?" Misato said, cooing to the little girl. "Hai, Oba Mi-chan!" Yui chirped, smiling as she licked the nice red lollipop her 'Auntie' gave her.

"Ha ha, see Shinji. I just really like spending time with you guys." Misato said, chuckling. However, her face grew dark, even though her mouth was smiling. "And Yui-chan, didn't I tell you not to call me that name?" Misato said, her eyebrow twitching. "O-kei, Oba Mi-chan!" Yui said, oblivious to Misato's frustrated glares. Misato sighed in defeat and just waved for Shinji to keep pushing the cart. "Sometimes, Shinji, I can't believe that Yui's your daughter."

"Well, I think she looks more like her mother more than she does me." Shinji said, placing his hand on his daughter's head. "... but she sure doesn't act like Rei, thank goodness." Shinji said, ruffling Yui's hair. "Yes, it would have been pretty weird if she acted like, you know... her." Misato said, inwardly laughing at the thought. Sure, the resemblance to Rei was uncanny, but Yui seemed so much more...so much more... "Human." Misato whispered, her smile dropping a bit. And because Yui was more human, Misato's task was made a thousand times more difficult. "You thinking of something, Misato?" Shinji asked, his eyebrow raised as Misato shoveled bag after bag of "Aunt Polly's Fiber Enriched Prunes for Seniors" into the cart. "Uh, wha, Shinji?" Misato said, snapped out of her musings.

Shinji rolled his eyes. It wasn't the first time Misato zoned out on him. "Well, the only reasons I can think of you needing so many prunes is that you like 'em or have a really bad case of constipation." Shinji smirked. "Ha ha, you are sooo funny, Shinji-kun." Misato replied sarcastically, putting the prunes back on the shelf. "Try warning us next time you go on a prune binge, Misato." Shinji said, pushing the cart again. Shinji knew that whenever Misato had one of her moments, it was best to drop the subject immediately. Looking into things might cause trouble now that she was the Commander.

"Papa. What does con-see-pay-ed mean?" Yui said, tugging her father's sleeve from the baby seat of the cart. "It means you can't go poopy like you usually do." Shinji explained, hoping that Yui wouldn't pursue the subject further. "You mean like you did last week." Yui said, licking her lollipop. "No, Yui. That was diarrhea. Constipation is when you can't go poopy at all." Shinji went further. Misato was about to say something, but knowing that the former third Child had enough trouble on his hands. "Oh, okay..." Yui said, and she turned to enjoy her lollipop.

"So what's diarrhea?" Yui said at the last minute. Misato let out a small laugh as she continued with her grocery shopping.

Later that evening:

"Make sure she doesn't eat too many sweets, and her bedtime's anywhere before eight o'clock, okay, Ken?" Shinji said as he gave his final instructions to Kensuke. "Don't sweat it, Shinji. We've been through this, like, a thousand times." Kensuke said, getting a little impatient with his friend. "And you know that for a thousand times that I worry about her." Shinji replied, his hand on Yui.

"Right." Kensuke said. He knew Shinji had a couple of neurotic tendencies, so he just had to bear with the over-protective parent syndrome one last time. "Okay Shinji. I've been babysitting her for the past two years. Nothing out of the ordinary." Kensuke said, raising his hands. "Yeah. I guess I am kind of overprotective." Shinji said. "Just like any other good parent. Now go on, get. You really shouldn't keep Misato waiting, you know." Kensuke said. "Yeah. You're right." Shinji said. "Okay, Yui. You be good while daddy's away, okay?" Shinji said, kneeling to eye-level of the four-year old. "Yes, Papa." Yui said, rolling her eyes. Two years of this and he was still clingy.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." Shinji said, waving goodbye as he went down the stairs from the apartment building. Shinji hurriedly jogged down two flights of steps. It wasn't everyday that he got a ride to work. And since it was with Misato, she probably wanted to talk about something important with him. He walked briskly through the hallway and out to the driveway, just in time to see Misato pull over.

"Sorry, did I keep you waiting?" Misato said, rolling down a window. "No, you came just perfect, Misato." Shinji replied. Shinji hopped into the black Mercedes and soon after the pair took off for Shinji's bar.

"So you dropped her off at Ken's, did you Shinji-kun?" Misato asked as they got on the highway. "Yeah. Had the talk and everything. Nothing out of the ordinary." Shinji said, and a silence followed soon after. Both of them knew what was going to happen next, so it was just a matter of time for someone to break the stillness.

"Shinji-kun. Did you ever wonder how Yui came to be?" Misato said softly as she stopped at the light. "Yeah, a couple of times." Shinji answered, gazing out of the tinted window. "Any of them good?" Misato said as she shifted gears, the light turning green. "Well, thought she was just another clone. Maybe some kind of last torture my dad cooked up. Or Ritsuko." Shinji said. This conversation they had. It felt to detached...

"If only that were true, right?" Misato chuckled, though the laugh never met her eyes. Damn, this talk was depressing. "You're not going to tell me, are you?" Shinji whispered, still looking out the window. "I can't. You know that." Misato responded.

"But you have to make sure I never do, right?"

"Yeah."

"It hurts, you know."

"Strangely enough, I do."

"..."

"Shinji."

"Yes, Misato?"

"Were you ever close to Rei?"

"Closer than anyone I know. Maybe even closer than Rokobungi."

"You don't like to call him your dad?"

"My dad died a long time ago."

"..."

"Maybe I wasn't as close to her as I think"

"..."

"She was Angel. How am I supposed to know I she just.. let things happen the way they did?"

"You mean that she knew?"

"Mm hm. I mean, she knew and that was fate and she just played it out. Like an actress."

"And God was her director?"

"Something like that. I mean, she was like Kowaru, maybe she knew more than my dad did."

"And just never told? That's logical."

"Yeah..."

"Do you think she would have ever thought that it would end this way?"

"No, I don't."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I doubt that even God himself planned it out like this."

"What if he had some more plans that haven't come to play yet?"

"Then I would never know."

"You'll just let fate decide itself?"

"Fate has already been decided Misato."

"Hmm?"

"I only hope that God will change whatever fate is in store for us."

The car pulled over in front of Shinji's pub, and he took his cello out of the trunk. Going to the front, Misato rolled down her window. "Thanks for the ride." Shinji said. "No problem, kid." Misato grinned. "Listen, I might be here later. We'll finish where we left off." Sh said, and with that, she closed her window and drove away.

Shinji smiled. He hated that Black Mercedes. The worst times of his life were spent there, almost like before Third Impact. He had to lie. He had to listen. He had to face the Commander. But that was what it took to keep Yui. So he suffered.

Author's notes:

Shinji in this story loved his father. But not the Commander. And even when Gendo died, the Commander lived on, and took another parental figure, as Misato. So Shinji's enemy here is not Gendo or Misato or anyone else, but the Commander.


	8. The Shinji in his Mind

Chapter 8

The Shinji in his Mind

"I hated her..."

"Hated who?"

"Her."

"Please be more specific of whom you speak of, Third Child."

"Please, don't make me say it."

"I require clarification, Third Child."

"..."

"I beg of it, Third Child."

"I... hated... you..."

"I-I do not understand, Ikari-kun."

"But I loved you too. Is that at all believable?"

"N-negative, Third Child."

"Well, it's true. I hated you and I loved you. More of as I hated the fact that I loved you."

"I apologize, Ikari-kun. This... information, i...it seems to be more than I am able comprehend."

"You don't understand."

"I cannot understand if you do not allow me to know, Shinji!"

"..."

"Ah, Ikari-kun, I did not mean to raise my voice."

"Please, do it again."

"Do what again?"

"Scream at me, please..."

"?"

"Please. I don't care, just don't call me that. Call me Ikari, call me Shinji-kun, call me Shin-chan, anything!"

"Ikari-kun..."

"PLEASE, STOP IT! I AM NOT IKARI! I AM NOT IKARI! I... I...I am..."

"Shinji..."

"Shinji..."

"Shinji..."

"Shinji..."

"You are..."

"I am..."

"You are you."

"I am I..."

"You are..."

"I am..."

_Shinji Ikari...Rei Ayanami... Shinji Ayanami... Rei Ikari...Shinji...Rei...Shinji...Rei..._

"I AM SHINJI!" the young man screamed into the darkness of his room. Cold sweat ran down Shinji's forehead as his breath came out in short, ragged gasps. "I... am... Shinji..." he whispered as his breathing abated. "I... Shinji..."

The tears visited him again that night. They came slowly at first, like they always have, making a few dark marks on his bed sheets. Then they grew stronger, almost like a stream.

"Papa..."

Shinji quickly tried to dry his tears on his free arm, knowing the girl whose soft voice called out to him. "Papa..." the little girl sniffed, her eyes brimming with crystal tears herself. Shinji knew that it wouldn't be of any use to hide his tears from his daughter, so he let them fall freely. "PAPA!" the little girl cried, running as fast as her legs could carry her to her father's side. The young parent could only hold his daughter tightly, sobbing lightly along with her.

"Mommy shouldn't make you cry..." she whipsered, hugging Shinji tighter

"Mommy shouldn't make you cry..."

Author's Note:

Long time in updating. Well what do you think?


End file.
